Chapter Text
The match had been going good for them. All the apprehension Tobio felt at the idea of facing Seijoh at his first practice match as Karasuno's main setter seemed to dissipate when they took the second set. Kindaichi looked like he was about to blow off, and Tobio hadn't missed the worried glances Iwaizumi was casting at the scoreboard. One more win and they'd be able to claim victory over a powerhouse school in no time. Imagine how that would look. A school of kings, felled by a flock of crows and a strategy spearheaded by first years. It felt good, seeing and hearing the ball hit the opposite side of the net with a resounding slam, cementing their win with a three-point lead against Aoba Johsai.
But he'd also been right when he said that Seijoh's setter wasn't their official one.
Tendrils of the anxiety he thought he'd forgotten once again started to reach out to him as he stared at Oikawa's retreating back. The third-year had been told to warm up, and on his way to the side-court Tobio hadn't expected him to turn and lock gazes with him, as if he were wordlessly saying I'm coming. Tobio pursed his lips, silently making sure for the umpteenth time that the wall was fortified and void of any cracks, even more so when he felt another gaze locked on him from the other side of the court.
Over time, a number of people had started to dub him as a genius. They said that his skills were exemplary, raw but with evident potential. Many stood in awe during his matches, even his own teammates. He was young and excellent. It wouldn't be surprising if he rose to be the most powerful player this era has ever seen, they said.
Tobio, however, found that difficult to believe when he met Oikawa Tooru and Iwaizumi Hajime.
Their dynamic at first sight left him breathless. His first year at Kitagawa Daiichi consisted of him standing frozen in astonishment at the sidelines whenever he watches Oikawa Tooru throw a perfect set, to which Iwaizumi Hajime would slam down to the other court in one, powerful spike. They were the perfect duo that led KitaDaii to countless wins.
"Oikawa-san, please teach me how to serve!" He'd remember himself saying before.
"In your dreams, Tobio-chan. Bleh!" Oikawa would reply while playfully blowing a raspberry at him, which was then followed by a "Quit picking fights with the first years, Kusokawa!" from Iwaizumi in Tobio's defense.
He's been drawn to them like a moth to an oil lamp, always observing from a distance during practices and admiring from the benches during official matches. At first, he believed that this was a mere idolization of their skills. Many of the players shared the same sentiment, after all. It's testament to how Oikawa and Iwaizumi are amazing by default, especially when together. But Tobio soon realized that this ache in his chest has begun to feel like something else entirely. Something that's a notch higher than mere admiration. Sure, he's still left in awe by their plays, but he was also slowly starting to want the kind of relationship they had; that closeness, that distinct hint of intimacy they shared that was often overlooked for friendship.
Tobio never really considered the idea of love, but he guessed that it hit somewhat close to that.
Until everything seemed to come to a standstill at his very first practice match against them.
He was assigned as setter to the other team that consisted of KitaDaii third and second years. Being the only freshman there was like being thrown straight into a lion's den. Though contrary to his anxiety, the team had been warm in welcoming him. But Tobio knew that he wasn't the type of player that can bring out the best of his teammates, unlike Oikawa. He was far from being a powerful spiker too, like Iwaizumi. This fact was further proven when Tobio's team lost to theirs, 25 - 16, after Oikawa received the ball in the form of a set and tossed it straight towards Iwaizumi, who'd slammed it down right in front of Tobio before he could even understand what's going on.
The sight of pure unadulterated glee on Iwaizumi's face and Oikawa running up to hug him at their victory was when Tobio realized and understood that to watch them from the sidelines was the farthest he could go. Any closer and he'd end up tainting that beautiful dynamic and Tobio would never be able to forgive himself if it came to that.
And so an obedient and idolizing kouhai he shall remain.
Then the ever-so-called Fate decides to mess things up even more.
The idea of soulmates was a little bit of a taboo topic for him. His parents had been destined for each other, as was said by the similar marks on their shoulders. And yet six-year-old Tobio still woke up one day to his parents signing a file of divorce papers.
Yet despite of this, Tobio can't exactly say that he doesn't believe in soulmates anymore. He's seen the look on his grandfather's face every time he tells him stories about his late grandmother, nor can he forget how happy Miwa was when she announced that she found 'the one' for her. That was when Tobio mastered the technique of dodging Miwa's hug trajectory, else he'd have his lungs squeezed out of him before he could even think about inhaling.
He does believe in soulmates. This was why Tobio wasn't surprised at all when he found out that both Iwaizumi and Oikawa shared the same soulmate mark.
No, what surprised him instead was the fact that his own mark was identical to theirs too.
Tobio started cursing Fate right then and there.
The game proceeded in their favor, but Seijoh was slowly beginning to gain up on them, even though Oikawa hadn't been put back into the court yet. Tobio set the ball to Tanaka, knowing that he was brimming with irritation and needed to channel the steam out. The second year's victorious cry resonated loudly among the walls of the court when he scored. A few more sets later and they were finally back at match point. One more point and it's their win.
One more point.
One more point...
One more point, for a second there, seemed so impossible as the referee blew the whistle and Tobio watched Oikawa switch places with a player, entering the court with the confident gait he knew so well. He mentally geared himself up, schooling his face into a guarded expression as Oikawa took the place of the pinch-server.
"Oikawa, nice serve!" he heard Iwaizumi shout.
And suddenly, the wall felt paper-thin. Tobio's breath hitched in his throat when the sensation of being thrown into an endless pit of water overcame him. The twin marks on his shoulderblades suddenly felt like they're lit ablaze, like imaginary wings had sprouted out of his back and was burning his skin, slow yet very painfully. He nearly faltered in his step when he moved to his position, feeling like he's moving solely on autopilot. The stare he's been sensing ever since the beginning of the set didn't help in alleviating the heaviness on his back at all.
He took a deep breath in, forcing his nerves to be calm when he saw Oikawa raise the ball and pointed it towards them as a silent challenge. Tobio readjusted his stance, locking his eyes on the ball to ensure that he won't lose sight of it.
Oikawa Tooru was a remarkable setter. Not a genius, maybe, but his skills certainly made him seem like one. The number 1 on his back was the very thing Tobio kept looking at to keep reminding him that one day, he'll stand on the same pedestal Oikawa is standing on right now. One day he'll learn to be like him, to be able to bring out the best plays and be able to form a solid trust with his teammates. One day his jersey number would become a source of strength and faith for other players as well.
Oikawa Tooru will forever hold a place in him as the man he'd always look up to. That's why when he'd felt Oikawa's serve fly across the net and bounce off the stands before he could even see and figure out where the ball's being aimed at, Kageyama heard the message loud and clear.
Can you do better, Tobio?
Gritting his teeth, he watched the ball roll to ground before being picked up by a Seijoh student. He hasn't seen that serve in years. In person, at least.
"Just as I thought." Oikawa mused. "I've been noticing since the start of the match that you, number 6," he gestured to Tsukishima. "And you, number 5," he looked at Hinata, much to the small spiker's immediate fear. "are not good receivers, aren't you?"
Hinata recoiled, not bothering to hide how anxious he looked when Oikawa hit bullseye. Tobio felt the familiar sense of dread settle on his shoulders. Of course, he'd be able to pick up on their weakness that quick. Who was Tobio kidding?
All the more reason to stop him.
He watched Oikawa hit another powerful serve. Tsukishima had already anticipated that it would go for him again, but even then the ball's strength was far too great to be connected with, especially for someone like him who hasn't honed his receives yet.
Tobio casted the scoreboard a glance, cursing that they're now one point away from being tied. They need to get this done and fast before Oikawa could gain up on them completely.
"All right. All of you scoot to the back." Daichi commanded. "Tsukishima, you go closer to the sideline."
Tobio saw their captain take up the center of their defense in his peripheral sight. He's expanding his range. This would leave Oikawa a more narrow array of options. He can serve the ball right towards where Daichi was waiting, where it will most likely be received compared to serving it back to his original target who was standing by the sidelines. If he served it to Tsukishima, he'd have to rely more into his accuracy than his power in order to make the ball fly towards that specific direction, ultimately gambling that Tsukishima wouldn't be able to receive it eitherway.
The ball sailed across the net once more, heading straight for Tsukishima and this time, he managed to hit it up. Tobio miscalculated. The strength of the serve may not have been that powerful compared to the previous ones, but it's still strong enough to be propelled right back into Seijoh's court as their chance ball.
One look at their rotation was all it took for Tobio to deduce that they have slim chances of blocking. He watched the ball fly towards their temporary setter, which was then tossed towards Kindaichi, who'd already run far from their three person block.
Tobio didn't know which had been faster. Kindaichi spiking the ball or Hinata suddenly appearing in front of the Seijoh spiker and touching the ball before it could thwart their block.
No, wait, he was sure that Hinata had been faster.
So why hadn't he been able to see it?
Tobio could feel himself faltering in his stance, suddenly growing more wary of what's going on with him. He breathed in, blocking out everything for a solid second to gather himself. It was then and there, right when the waves of adrenaline he's been feeling was starting to calm that he noticed the growing pressure in his head. It felt like someone had shoved a brick inside his brain, making his mental functions halt in their ministrations because why was his head so heavy?
The wall. Tobio realized in alarm.
He forced himself to come back to his present surroundings, seeing just in time how Hinata's fingers connected with the ball and sending it flying towards their court.
"It's up!" he announced loudly, immediately running to his position without looking away from the ball hovering above them.
"Chance ball!" he heard Daichi yell.
Hinata landed a few feet away from him. But the distance did not deter him from racing towards the other side of the court. The small spiker's afterimage was all Tobio saw as the ball neared his palms.
I can't catch up to him. Tobio thought as air blew by him from how fast Hinata's going. I can't if I'm one step, or even one second behind.
He saw Iwaizumi running by him from across the net, dead set on blocking Hinata. He won't be able to, no. Not at the current rate of Hinata's speed.
The pressure in his head that he's decided on ignoring has now begun to turn into an incessant pounding, growing in intensity the longer he pushed himself to hold up. He refocused back at the ball, pointedly turning a blind eye on how his vision started to blur.
The only thing that can catch up to him...
The second the ball connect with his palms, he propelled it back up with one calculated toss, aiming it straight towards the orange haired spiker whose feet has already left the floor.
....is the ball.
Everything escalated too fast. One second he sees Hinata suspended in the air, hand pulled back and ready to drive it forward. Next thing he knew, the ball was sailing right past Oikawa at unbelievable speed before finally making contact with the gymnasium floor in one resounding slam.
Both setters stood frozen in their position, one looking at where the ball had made its landing and the other looking lost on his own feet. The ball bounced on the floor, unknowing to the thickest tension Seijoh's gym has ever housed.
And the referee sounded the whistle.
It's their win.